Waiting On Santa
by Ramica
Summary: Mike wants his three year old daughter to have a special Christmas. It might end up to be even more special then Mike counted on. Part of the Rama series.
1. Part One

                                         Waiting On Santa

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adolescent or adult transformed shadow warrior chelonians.

Rated- G

Author's Note: This story takes place before The Legacy for Rama fans.

Part one:

   Mike was looking forward to this Christmas, more so then any Christmas since he was a young shellback, because this year, he knew that Rama was finally old enough to really take part in the festivities and remember it.

When Rama had experienced her first Christmas she had only been eight months old, both her second and third Christmas she had gotten a bit into but Mike wasn't sure how much she would recall of it. When he asked Rama the other day about Santa she had only given him a puzzled look.

This year would be different this year she was almost four years old, or would be in four months time at any rate.

It was a pity really that he couldn't take Rama in to go visit Santa Claus in person at the mall, but Santa was so popular and the line ups so long, the malls so crowded that it would be almost impossible to get Rama in and out without someone noticing that they were turtles.

Today was December 2 and Mike hoped that by Christmas day itself Rama would be hyped and ready to go, and he was just the person to wind her up too.

Raph came into the kitchen with Rama riding on his shoulders. Rama was a turtle but she had dark hair and five fingers and five toes and light green skin.

" Daddy!" Rama squealed as soon as she saw him and dived off Raph's shoulders towards him. Raph with all the reflexes of a trained ninja caught her before she fell short of her mark, handing her over to her dad.

" Hi ya Rama llama ding dong how's my favourite girl?"

 Rama hugged him tight " Daddy I miss you."

 " I missed you too baby." Mike held up an advent calendar and opened one of the doors on it to reveal a chocolate " See I got a candy for you."

 " Candy?" Rama's eyes lit up as her dad handed her the treat and she popped it into her mouth.

" When you get to the last candy Rama that will be the night Santa comes." Mike explained.

" Sana?" Rama's face scrunched up in puzzlement.

  " Yeah, Santa Claus Rama. Santa brings presents to the good boys and girls."

 Rama knew the word present. Presents were wonderful. " I good girl daddy presen?" She asked quickly.

 " When Santa comes baby, you have lots of sleeps first but trust me Santa will come visit with you and leave a present" Mike assured her as he hugged her.

Rama looked questioningly at her father " More candy pease daddy?"

" No Rama one candy a day until Santa comes" Mike insisted.

Raph shook his head " What else you got for her on your little trip?"

 " A new Christmas stocking because her baby one is too small" Mike brought out a large red stocking with a white trim.

" It's twice as big as ours are Mikey" Raph noted.

 " Yeah well I happen to know Santa is going have a little help in filling it Mr. I can't deny Rama anything."

 " HA! That's where you're wrong Santa doesn't need my help" Raph scoffed.

 " Come on Rama let's go play." Mike suggested taking her hand.

A few days later the boys went out and returned with a live Christmas tree, a rare thing to have in the sewers but Mike had insisted Rama deserved a live tree, and Raph being the favourite Uncle totally agreed.

" The kid doesn't get much chance to see any other trees might as well let her have a live one over Christmas."

They had left Splinter to give her, her lunch and put her down for her afternoon nap and that had given them enough time to purchase the tree and return to set it up.

 " Rama is going to love having a real tree in her home, she can smell it and touch it…"

 " Long as she doesn't knock it over," Leo muttered.

 " Aw Leo she hasn't knocked it over before this" Mike protested.

  " I don't know guys but any of you care to make a bet on which of the two kids in the family are going to be the worst? I have a feeling they are both going drive us nuts" Don said.

 " Can't be as bad as Mikey setting traps around the tree to catch Santa when he was six" Raph chuckled.

 " You helped Raph!"

  Raph chuckled " By the time Christmas eve comes both of them will be sitting up waiting on Santa."

 " Come off it you guys. This is the first Christmas that Rama will really be able to remember. She has forgotten all about Santa from last year even. I just want to make it special for her because she is old enough to remember it and get into the spirit of it. Is there anything wrong with that?" Mike demanded to know.

 " There is nothing wrong in making the holidays memorable or special Michaelangelo but I doubt that Ramiela will need any help getting excited for the big day. Children usually do that well enough on their own. Wait to see her next year at this time," Splinter stated.

 Leo grinned " Last year Rama wouldn't even try to say Christmas all she said was Merry over and over."

 Rama at the point came toddling into the living room yawning and rubbing her eyes with one hand while the other hand clutched her stuffed Franklin turtle, which she had received as a birthday gift.

Rama stopped short staring in disbelief at the partially decorated tree she mumbled something and continued to look at the tree in confusion and disbelief. It wasn't often she woke up from a nap to find a tree where one hadn't been before. She wasn't even sure it was a tree for that matter which probably didn't help solve her problem.

 " Daddy what dat?" Rama finally asked.

 Mike went over and hugged her scooping her up into one arm " it's our Christmas tree Rama we are decorating it to make it pretty, and on Christmas Eve Santa will come and put the presents under our tree."

Rama scowled Christmas, Presents and Santa were being mentioned quite a bit the last few days. She still wasn't sure how they all connected to each other or if they even did.

" Do you like the tree Rama? Come here and feel the needles they prick a little bit and see how green the needles are?"

Rama grabbed a branch in one small fist and tugged.

" No Rama gentle with the tree. No pulling on it all right?" Mike loosened her grip on it. 

Rama still managed to pull a couple of needles loose and looked at how dark they were up against her own skin, her fingers had a slight scent to them and she rolled the needles in her fingers trying to see if the scent would get stronger. Daddy often brought her flowers and they had pretty scents.

Being as it was something unfamiliar she licked her fingers and made a face, it wasn't eatable that was for sure. The tree had to be like the flowers daddy brought pretty to smell and touch and to see but here for a short time only.

Mike watched Rama carefully " Want to help us decorate the tree Rama we saved the bottom part for you."

 " I help daddy," Rama cheered giving him a slobbery kiss.

 Mike put her down and found some non-breakable ornaments and showed her how to hang them on the tree " Help put these on and make the tree pretty for us Rama" he coaxed.

Rama soon was digging through the stuff that was allowed for her to put on the tree and came up with gold and red garland, which she wrapped all around herself instead.

" Looks like we have two trees this year" Mike laughed as he pulled the garland off her and placed it on the tree.

The last bit of decorating was the tinsel and Mike handed Rama a handful of the glittery stuff, Rama glanced at it then tossed it up in the air letting it flutter down and about her.

" I pree" She announced.

 Mike well used to translating his daughter's language only laughed " Oh you are very pretty Miss Rama llama ding dong but it is supposed to go on the tree, not on you."

 Rama giggled at her dad " Me on Ree?'

 " Rama you are forgetting your T's again it is T-ree" Mike corrected stressing the t sound. Rama for some reason had a very hard time saying her L's and her T's. " You can't go on our tree because you are too big and you might wreck it," he told her patiently.

" I big!" Rama cheered.

 " You sure are baby." Mike agreed.

Once the tree was decorated to everyone's satisfaction Don did the honour of lighting the tree for the first time that year.

Rama inhaled sharply and her eyes grew large and sparkled as she saw the sight before her.

" Pree, ree ights daddy" she squealed in excitement bouncing at Mike's feet.

 " Very pretty tree lights Rama and I think I know what I'm asking Santa for this year I'm going see if Santa will give you your l's and t's" Mike swooped her up in his arms and tickled her.

Rama giggled kicking her legs with delight and her little childish laugh bubbling out growing louder and more cheerful by the second.

Mike paused and kissed her, holding her tight to him.

The next few days Mike had Rama help him with the Christmas baking and sampling of the many treats like the tarts, cookies, fudge and numerous other good things, some of which would be given away to their human friends as a Christmas gift.

While Mike and Rama mixed up the various treats Mike would play tapes of Alvin and the Chipmunks or Mickey Mouse and friends singing popular Christmas songs. Mike played these tapes so much that the rest of the family, Raph especially was threatening to destroy the tapes. 

 " Rama has to learn her Christmas songs" Mike protested, all as innocent as could be.

  " Mike if you think that we don't realize that you are also doing this to torture us then you are crazy and my sai might be able to repair that for you" Raph growled.

 " Come on Raph get into the spirit of Christmas you old scrooge, here have a treat."

 At night Mike would read Rama the Night before Christmas story to Rama before tucking her into bed.

Rama with the passing days looked forward to seeing the lights lit up on the tree, she wanted them on whenever she was in the room and she had also learned that each morning she got a candy.

The little turtle child listened carefully to the promise that Santa was coming and he was bringing presents to her in lots of sleeps. She was starting to pick up on some of that excitement that filled the lair and the normally rambunctious child reacted to all the excitement in the typical childish way by running through the home and practically bouncing off the walls.

Rama woke early one morning and headed to the washroom, she was on her way back to wake daddy when she remembered about the candy in the kitchen. She knew she always got one when she woke up, so she headed to the kitchen. 

The candy she knew was up on the counter out of her reach but she was determined to have her candy, it was morning she was up, it was time.

She pushed a chair from the table over to the counter climbed onto the chair and then onto the counter with ease.

Rama grinned all her hard work was about to pay off her fingers now struggled to open one of the doors where the candy hid.

For some reason she couldn't get her fingers to open the door, they didn't seem to work and she was just about ready to let loose some of her frustration in a piercing scream when one nail caught in the right place and opened the door.

The scream died instantly as Rama gained her hard earned prize.

 " Sana come when candy gone" she said repeating the words daddy had often said to her " Sana bring presen when candy gone."

She thought about that for a moment, she was tired of waiting for Santa and presents she wanted her presents NOW!

A light sparked in her eyes and she gave an almost fiendish giggle as she started her fingers working to open the other doors.

Mike entered the kitchen still half asleep, he woke almost instantly when he saw Rama her back to him up on the counter.

" Rama!" he yelled.

 Rama startled by his call turned suddenly and lost her balance falling towards the floor. Mike dived to catch her before she hit the hard, unforgiving concrete catching her in time.

" You are not suppose to be up there Rama" Mike scolded as he stood her up.

  " Sorry daddy" Rama turned.

 Mike looked at his daughter bits of melted chocolate was all over her face and fingers. Mike got up off the floor and saw smudged chocolate prints all over the kitchen countertop.

" Oh, no, what a mess!" he groaned.

Rama licked her lips " Candy gone daddy. Sana come" she announced cheerfully.

 " No way Rama. That isn't how it works. You have to have one candy a day. You have twelve big sleeps before Santa comes and that is IF you are a good girl."

 " I good girl daddy" Rama protested.

 " Eating all of that candy is NOT being good Rama. Making that big mess is also NOT being a good girl. I have to clean up that mess little mischief and I guess I better start with you." Mike decided, then he gave a small grin " But before I do clean you up I'm taking pictures to blackmail you with when you're older."

Mike was just thankful that the candies were small and probably wouldn't cause her to be sick.

What Mike didn't count on was what that amount of chocolate could do to an active child.

Rama was on a sugar high, the terror of parents everywhere.

By the end of the day a totally exhausted Mike collapsed on the couch.

" Cheer up Mikey she is getting into the Christmas spirit" Raph stated.

 " Yeah, but I have come to the conclusion Rama gets no chocolate for Christmas."

Raph laughed " What's a matter she wear you out Mikey? Oh by the way while I was out today I bought her the biggest chocolate Santa I could find call it payback for that inane Christmas music you keep torturing us with" Raph teased.

 " Raph you should be lucky she wore me out or you would be so dead!" Mike replied wearily.

TBC

Is Rama going deserve a visit from Santa or is she going be so bad she only gets coal in her stocking?

The second part will be posted around the week of December 14-20.


	2. Part Two

                                         Waiting On Santa

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adult or adolescent transformed shadow warrior chelonians.

Part Two.

" Up the chimney he rose…"

  " Daddy?"  
   " Yeah Rama?" Mike paused in his nightly reading of the night before Christmas.

  " What chimee?" Rama asked her small round face very earnest.

  " A chimney Rama. Some homes have a place to have a fire to help warm up the house and the smoke from the fire goes out of the house by going up a chimney."

 " We got chimey daddy?"

  " No honey, we don't have a fire place so we don't have a chimney but don't worry Santa, he has a whole bunch of magic, that magic helps him know where all the good kids are and it also helps Santa get into all the homes where good kids wait for him" Mike explained gently.

 " Daddy?"

 " Yeah."

  " I see Sana?"

  " No Rama, Santa is very busy getting ready to make his trip to deliver all of his presents. He can't see you and you aren't suppose to see him because Santa can only come when you are sleeping. Like that song right" Mike started to sing " He knows if you are sleeping, he knows if you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good so be good for goodness sake."

Rama's face scrunched up a bit " I wants to see Sana Daddy" she whimpered.

Mike looked at his daughter's unhappy face and he hugged her close to him " Listen Rama, I know Santa personally, he's an old friend of mine. I'll see if maybe he can visit with you for a bit one night, but Santa is very busy at this time of year so I don't think he can baby."

 " Sana visit Rama" Rama insisted sniffing a bit as she fought back tears.

 " I'll see what I can do Rama but like I said Santa might not be able to visit with you." Mike kissed her forehead and cuddled her close.

~*~

By December sixteenth Rama was very tired of being good. It was hard to be good for so long and it seemed to her that Santa would NEVER come. She had heard so much about Santa but he hadn't come yet.

She peeked around the corner of the dojo watching her Uncle Raphael spin his sais expertly in his hands, then balance a sai tip on his finger.

Rama glanced down at her own fingers wiggling them a bit then sighed miserably.

" Raphie?"

 Raph turned and smiled at her " Hi Rama want to come play with me?" He asked sheathing his sais.

Rama nodded eagerly leaping full strength at her uncle in hopes of tackling him to the ground. Raph obliged falling back onto the mats and rolling over with her. If there was one thing he loved about this kid was right from the start she seemed to love being roughhoused with. The harder you played with Rama the more she seemed to enjoy it of course with all the energy she had inherited from her father it seemed to insure all the more that she would be a rough and rowdy tomboy.

Raph was not opposed to grooming her for this role either.

As they played Rama kept her eyes focused on one thing Raph's weapons, her hand reached out snatching a sai, a trick she had tried many times before but only on rare occasions had she managed to actually get a hold of the weapon.

This was one of those lucky times, she had been extra sneaky and she had the weapon now. Her eyes glowed with delight until Raph snatched the weapon from out of her hand.

Rama whirled on her Uncle stomping her foot and yelling " Mine!"

" You're not suppose to touch weapons kid" Raph insisted sharply.

 " MINE!" Rama howled as if by saying it louder would make it true.

 Mike hearing the commotion looked in " What is going on here Raph?"

 " She took my sai, snatched it right out of my belt while we were playing. I don't think she meant anything by it."

Mike glowered at his daughter " Rama that is BAD! You are NOT supposed to touch weapons. You have to respect weapons all right?"

 " Mine" Rama sniffed sulkily.

 " No! You want me to tell Santa to skip you this year because you are being a bad girl?" 

Rama shook her head no in silent reply to Mike's question she wanted to see Santa.

" No touching weapons then Rama they can hurt you all right?"  
 Rama gave a wearied sigh looking at her fingers, a scowl on her face. 

" Okay daddy" She gave in reluctantly on that one for the time being at any rate.

~*~

Mike phoned up Casey that night " Casey, I was wondering if you would be willing to do a favour for me and for your favourite turtle child Rama. It won't take much just a half hour to an hour of your time on Christmas Eve, somewhere between oh nine and midnight ought to be about right.

Well you see Case, it's like this Rama wants to see Santa…"

It took a lot of begging pleading, blackmailing and bribery before Casey agreed to do it. Rama might have been his favourite turtle child but Casey did have an image to keep up, even if he was married to April now.

~*~

Mike saw Rama sitting colouring in one of her books she was singing softly as she coloured " Ruolf da frosty no man had a jingle bell bring Sana to own play armonica. ALVIN!"

Mike did his best not to crack up laughing right there, knowing that Rama probably wouldn't appreciate him laughing at her Christmas song. At least she was starting to learn them but he hadn't been expecting a jumble of songs mixed up all together.

Mike grinned, that a girl Rama you are getting the Christmas spirit aren't you? He thought to himself.

~*~

Rama sat with Splinter silently watching her dad and Uncles practice growing bored of watching she slipped quietly out of the dojo to go get a toy to play with but as she neared the Christmas tree she paused.

The lights were off, Rama liked the lights on the tree looked so pretty with the coloured lights blinking and flashing, she wanted the lights on all the time. Maybe as a present to her daddy and Uncles she would put the lights on and make it pretty for them.

Rama smiled forgetting everything else as she started to work on turning on the lights by crawling under the tree in search of the switch. As she moved around the base of the tree it started to shake a bit, then it started to tip ever so slowly the resulting crash was inevitable. Rama's terrified shriek split the air as the tree crashed down around and about her.

The boys hearing the crash and Rama's terrorized scream automatically dived towards the doorway of the dojo, Mike who felt for sure his daughter was being murdered was the first out the door followed closely by Leo.

Leo grabbed Mike before he went running ahead too far " Watch out for broken glass Mike there is bound to be some of it around here. Raph help me pick the tree up and Mike can grab Rama clear."  
Raph hastened to obey sure that his niece had to be hurt from the toppled tree and soon Mike was able to haul Rama out from under the tree.

All though she was far too big to completely fit tucked into her shell she had managed to tuck all of her head and most of her arms and legs in by some strange miracle, and her high pitched terrorized howls resonated out of her shell.

Mike cuddled her onto his lap watching as some of her legs came out but the rest of her remained in hiding. " It's all right now Rama your safe now baby, I have you now. Daddy's right here. Come out of your shell baby" Mike crooned softly as he rocked her.

Slowly and ever so carefully she emerged from her shell immediately throwing her thin arms about Mike's neck and clinging to him desperately while trembling and crying.

Don came and looked her over as she clung to her dad " I don't see any cuts on her, I think her instinctive reaction to tuck into her shell probably saved her a lot of damage. She is scared but I think she's all right otherwise" he declared.

" Bad ree daddy. Ree crash Rama." Rama explained sniffing.

" Yeah I saw that what were you doing under the tree baby?"

 " I do lights. Make pree."

 " Oh you wanted to put the lights on and make it pretty and then it crashed huh?"

Rama nodded sobbing as she tucked her face into her dad's plastron.

" I'm sorry Michaelangelo I should have been watching her closer" Splinter apologized " I didn't think any thing of it when she left the dojo. I forgot how quickly a little one can get into trouble."

 " It's not your fault Master. Rama could have done this to any of us at any given time. I guess it's just one of those things, the main thing is she is all right." Mike was grateful enough for that, he wasn't going to hold his Master accountable for the accident in any way.

Only a few of the tree ornaments had broken and they put the tree back up. Don with all the wisdom of hindsight secured the tree to the wall by putting metal rings into the concrete walls and then stringing thick metal wire through the rings and around the tree trunk. Don even did a great job of hiding and disguising the wires so that it was hardly noticeable. 

Luckily for all of them Christmas was only two short days away now. 

Raph chuckled " It is a good thing too or Santa might have to pass over this year if Rama had to wait too much longer for him. Then again he could leave her coal."

Rama sniffed " Sana come?" she asked in a trembling voice.

 " Raph is teasing you baby, he is going come and he knows this was just an accident. You weren't really bad this time" Mike comforted her.

~*~

It was finally the big night and Rama had been extremely excited all day knowing that tonight Santa was FINALLY going come and leave her presents. She was now jumping up and down on her bed her short hair bobbing up and down with each jump as she sang out " Sana come Sana come."

" Santa isn't going to come until you lay down and go to sleep baby," Mike informed her gently.

" Wants to see Sana daddy" Rama insisted stopping her jumping.

Mike reached out and knocked her gently down on to her bed so she was lying on top of it instead of standing and jumping on it " Its not allowed Rama. You have to be sleeping for Santa to come. Don't you know Rama Santa he is a bit of a ninja that's why no one sees him" Mike explained.

It took awhile to get her fully settled down and tucked in for the night before Mike was sure that Rama would go to sleep. He had purposely put her to bed earlier then usual because he knew that Rama wouldn't be going to sleep right away, plus the family needed time to haul out all the gifts and put them under the tree, they had put off putting the presents under the tree afraid that Rama might decide to get into them early. Then of course sometime tonight Rama would get her special visit with Santa.

Mike sighed in contentment pleased with himself, he had it all figured out.

~*~

" Rama wake up baby. Santa is here and he wants to see you" Mike nudged Rama gently, before picking up his sleepy eyed daughter and carrying her out of the room.

Mike had to admit Casey had done an incredible job of dressing up like Santa he must have found the best Santa suit available for it was a thick, dark red almost burgundy coloured suit with what looked to be real fur trim, the black boots were dusty and the Santa suit a little smudged with dark marks as if marked from traveling down chimneys, the padding for the belly was hardly noticeable and the thick bushy medium length beard covered Casey's face so well it was hard to know, that it was him under it.

Santa gave a deep merry " Ho, ho, ho" laugh upon seeing Rama, his belly shaking.

Rama came instantly awake in Mike's arms " Sana?" she asked her voice filled with wonder her eyes growing large with joy.

" Hello Ramiela I knew it would be very difficult to visit with me this year, so I decided to stop on my rounds and visit with you. Have you been a good girl for your daddy?" Santa asked tenderly holding out his arms.

Rama surprisingly dived right into Santa's arms and hugging him around the neck rubbing her face against his beard. Mike smiled he had been expecting Rama to play strange, or shy with Santa as Rama wasn't used to humans in the first place, and Mike usually did his best to keep her away from the occasional guest with the exceptions of April and Casey of course.

" I good girl Sana" Rama insisted nodding her head vigouroulsy.

Santa laughed again " Or as good as we can expect Mike's daughter to be hmm? I know you tried to be a very good girl for your daddy. I remember your dad at your age. It's a good thing Santa is always willing to give a little leeway. I know how hard it is to be good for so long." Santa winked at Rama tickling her a little.

Mike ducked his head hiding a smile behind his hand, Casey was really getting into this and Mike hadn't expected that of him.

" Santa do you have time to sit down for some eggnog and cookies?" Mike asked.

 " Of course especially since I know it is your cookies can't miss out on them. I can always make a bit time up on the run, the reindeer aren't about to get too anxious they know this stop might take a bit" Santa agreed packing Rama to the rocking chair.

" Great and before you go I'd like to get some pictures of you and Rama."

 " I should hope so." Santa chuckled.

 When Mike returned with Santa's treats he saw Rama tugging sharply on Santa's beard and Mike thought for sure she would pull it off but Casey had applied it well for it didn't come loose at all.

As Mike snapped a few pictures with the Polaroid camera Santa talked to Rama.

" I think I have a pretty good idea of what you want from me for Christmas but I better see if I got it right. What present do you want from me this year Ramiela?"

" Fankin" Rama said quickly not even hesitating in her reply.

"Oh, ho, ho you do like turtles don't you? I was right after all. I told my elves that they would have to make something extra special for you" Santa stated with a knowing nod.

" All right Rama, it is a busy night for Santa and he still has lots of work to do so I want you to say thank you and good night now," Mike decided.

" I go with Sana daddy?" Rama asked quickly.

Santa laughed at that remark " Sorry not this time child, you have to go back to bed and to sleep. Merry Christmas Ramiela."

" Ank you Sana, loves you. Merry Kissmas" Rama said as she hugged and kissed Santa, " Nigh Sana."

 " Good night child."

 Mike got Rama back to her bed and tucked in " Now you be a good girl and stay in your bed and go back to sleep" he whispered to her.

" Kay daddy."

On the way back to the living room the phone rang and Mike went to grab it he picked it up and greeted the caller.

" Mike is that you? It's Casey I'm sorry but I won't be able to make it tonight after all…"

 " Real funny Casey you were just here. How did you get topside so fast? After all these years you are finally learning some ninjitsu from us huh? 

You know Rama just loved you Casey. I could hardly believe that it was you man. A pity the others decided to go out on a late night run and didn't get to see it."

" Mike I am telling you I don't know who was there but it wasn't me. I got called out of town at the last minute I was hoping to be back by now but the roads are sheer ice and it is dangerous driving. I can't make it" Casey insisted.

Mike shook his head, and all this time he thought that HE was the practical joker " Sure Casey you nut. Nice try though I'll see you for Christmas dinner and Merry Christmas" Mike hung up the phone and chuckling slightly at Casey trying to pull a fast one on him, walked into the living room to turn off the lights.

Rama sure is going to remember this Christmas that is for sure. What a nut case. Gotta love Casey he pulled it off real good he did.

Mike's eyes fell on Rama's Christmas stocking, it looked much fuller then before as if something had been added to it, instinctively he glanced towards the tree where all the presents waited for morning piled up around and under the tree.

He noticed two new presents that hadn't been there before.

One of the new presents was a stuffed sea turtle, with a baby turtle between its front flippers. Mike went and tugged gently on the baby turtle and it pulled away from the adult a thin string connecting the adult from the baby. A lullaby began to play and as the music played the string went back inside the adult turtle pulling the baby back until it rested once again between the adult's flippers.

The other present was one that was wrapped up in paper with Santa Claus picture on it and a large tag that read: To Ramiela, the most special child I've had the privilege of delivering to for a long time. Santa Claus.

Mike turned and headed out of the lair and straight to the nearest manhole as fast as his legs could carry him.

Once out of the manhole he climbed the fire exit to the rooftop high above the back alley.

In the snow, he noticed booted footprints on the rooftop but also numerous hoof prints of some animal with a split hoof, and two long marks that looked like ski prints only much longer and wider then most skis were made.  Could it possibly be reindeer and a sleigh that had made these unusual marks in the snow high above the city streets?

Mike paused listening very carefully to the stillness of the night around him and swore that he heard the jingling of bells somewhere in the night sky up above.

" Santa?" Mike whispered quizzically. He had to wonder about that now. He had believed Santa was real long after his brothers had given up on the myth. But it had been many years since he last believed a being such as Santa actually existed in the flesh.

Then again if mutant turtles could exist in this world why not a being as wonderful and special as Santa himself?

Thanks a bunch Santa for making Rama's dreams come true this night of all nights. Merry Christmas to you and have a safe flight" Mike called out into the clear cold night sky before returning home.

The End.

Ramiela: Hi every body I just thought I'd say Merry Christmas to all of you from the turtle family. I hope Santa treats you good!


End file.
